Ronaldo 'driving crash car for first time'

CRISTIANO Ronaldo was driving his new £200,000 Ferrari for the first time when he crashed it near Manchester Airport, a United team-mate has revealed. Fabio da Silva made the revelation on Brazilian TV.

CRISTIANO Ronaldo was driving his new Ferrari for the first time when he crashed it, a United team-mate has revealed.

The Portuguese star was lucky to escape without a scratch when he wrote off the £200,000 supercar in a tunnel near Manchester Airport. The front of the 205mph Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorino was destroyed when it hit a wall in the tunnel under one of the airport's runways.

A wheel sheared off and an airbag triggered in the smash as the United star drove from his Cheshire home to United's Carrington training complex.

It has emerged that Ronaldo had taken delivery of the Portuguese-registered, left-hand drive Ferrari just two days before the crash - and it was the first time he driven it.

Defender Fabio, 18, said: "Cristiano had mentioned that he was going to take the car out of the garage, as he had bought it a few days ago, but had not driven it.

"That is when the accident happened. Everything is all right, but we were scared."

World player of the year Ronaldo, 23, was able to continue to training. He was being followed by team-mate Edwin Van Der Sar in a Bentley, but the Dutch goalkeeper was not involved in the accident.

Ronaldo provided a negative breath test to police at the scene. Officers investigating the star for alleged careless driving are expected to speak to him when witnesses have given formal statements in the next few days.

A motorist behind Ronaldo said the Ferrari suddenly dropped a gear before crashing into the wall. Police believe the car's ceramic brakes may have shattered in an initial impact with a kerb, making the smash inevitable.